Program, control method, and information processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

An information processing apparatus, which may include a display unit that displays a virtual space, an operating unit that outputs input operation data associating an input operation of a user with coordinate information, and a storage unit that stores the input operation data and may execute a game where a character moves based on the input operation. The information processing apparatus may retrieve the input operation data from the storage unit, perform control including moving the character in a predetermined direction when the input operation is determined to be a first input operation and when the input operation is determined to be the second input operation, and may determine that the input operation is the second input operation when a distance, in the predetermined direction, between an intermediate point and an end or start point is larger than a distance in the predetermined direction between the start and end point.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a program, a control method, and aninformation processing apparatus.

Description of the Related Art

Games in which a character arranged in a virtual space moves andperforms an action in accordance with a user operation are known. Forexample, a game in which a character operated by a user (hereinafterreferred to as a “user character”) is moved, and the user characterfights a battle with an enemy character is disclosed inJP-A-2007-130367.

In recent years, games can increasingly be executed on informationprocessing apparatuses equipped with a touch panel such as smartphones.However, when the game is operated using the touch panel, operability isnot necessarily sufficient. For example, a game in which a usercharacter is moved in a virtual space (virtual game space) having adepth is known. In a case in which emphasis is put on an intuitiveoperation in such a game, both a backward movement and a jump may beperformed in accordance with a user operation of moving a finger upwardson the touch panel. In this case, when the user performs an operationwith an intent of moving the user character backwards, an unintendedjump may be performed.

In the technology disclosed in JP-A-2007-130367, an operation region isdivided into a first region and a second region, and an operation of thefirst region and an operation of the second region are assigned todifferent actions of the user character (a backward movement and a jumpin the above example). However, the user who is playing a game usuallypays attention to a region on which the user character is displayed. Forthis reason, the user who is playing a game often performs an operationwithout looking at the operation region. In this case, the first regionand the second region may be erroneously operated, and thus it isdifficult to resolve confusion of different actions of the usercharacter. Therefore, there is room for improvement in game operability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In light of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide aprogram, a control method, and an information processing apparatus whichare capable of improving the game operability.

In order to solve the above problems, a program according to anexemplary embodiment may cause an information processing apparatusincluding a display unit that may display a virtual space, an operatingunit that may receive an input operation of a user and may output inputoperation data in which the input operation may be associated withcoordinate information, and a storage unit that may store the inputoperation data, and executes a game including a character which may bearranged in the virtual space and moved in accordance with the inputoperation to execute:

a step of retrieving the input operation data from the storage unit;

a first movement step of performing first movement control includingmoving the character in a predetermined direction when the inputoperation is determined to be a first input operation;

a second movement step of performing second movement control which maybe different from the first movement control and may include moving thecharacter in the predetermined direction when the input operation isdetermined to be a second input operation different from the first inputoperation; and

a step of determining the input operation to be the second inputoperation when a distance in the predetermined direction from anintermediate point between a start point at which the input operationstarts and an end point at which the input operation ends to the endpoint or a distance in the predetermined direction from the intermediatepoint to the start point is larger than a distance in the predetermineddirection from the start point to the end point.

Further, a control method according to an exemplary embodiment may be amethod of controlling a game which may be executed by an informationprocessing apparatus including a display unit that may display a virtualspace, an operating unit that may receive an input operation of a userand may output input operation data in which the input operation may beassociated with coordinate information, and a storage unit that maystore the input operation data, the game including a character beingarranged in the virtual space and moved in accordance with the inputoperation, and may include:

a step of retrieving the input operation data from the storage unit;

a step of performing first movement control including moving thecharacter in a predetermined direction when the input operation isdetermined to be a first input operation;

a step of performing second movement control which may be different fromthe first movement control and may include moving the character in thepredetermined direction when the input operation is determined to be asecond input operation different from the first input operation; and

a step of determining the input operation to be the second inputoperation when a distance in the predetermined direction from anintermediate point between a start point at which the input operationstarts and an end point at which the input operation ends to the endpoint or a distance in the predetermined direction from the intermediatepoint to the start point may be larger than a distance in thepredetermined direction from the start point to the end point.

Further, an information processing apparatus may be an informationprocessing apparatus that executes a game including a character whichmay be arranged in the virtual space and moved in accordance with aninput operation of a user, and may include:

a display unit that may display the virtual space;

an operating unit that may receive the input operation and may outputinput operation data in which the input operation may be associated withcoordinate information;

a storage unit that may store the input operation data; and

a control unit,

wherein the control unit may retrieve the input operation data from thestorage unit,

the control unit may perform first movement control including moving thecharacter in a predetermined direction when the input operation isdetermined to be a first input operation,

the control unit may perform second movement control which may bedifferent from the first movement control and may include moving thecharacter in the predetermined direction when the input operation may bedetermined to be a second input operation different from the first inputoperation, and

the control unit may determine the input operation to be the secondinput operation when a distance in the predetermined direction from anintermediate point between a start point at which the input operationstarts and an end point at which the input operation ends to the endpoint or a distance in the predetermined direction from the intermediatepoint to the start point is larger than a distance in the predetermineddirection from the start point to the end point.

According to some exemplary embodiments of the program, the controlmethod, and the information processing apparatus of, the gameoperability may be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information processing apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a virtual space displayed on a displayunit;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a virtual space of a gameaccording to the present embodiment;

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are diagrams illustrating operation inputs used in agame according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are diagrams for describing a method of determininga normal flick operation and a V flick operation through a control unit;and

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of determining anormal flick operation and a V flick operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described.

(Configuration of Information Processing Apparatus)

An information processing apparatus 1 according to an exemplaryembodiment may be described with reference to FIG. 1. The informationprocessing apparatus 1 may be, for example, a smart phone, a PC, or agame device and may be capable of executing a game application(program). The game application may be received from a predeterminedapplication distribution server via the Internet or may be stored in astorage device installed in the information processing apparatus 1 or astorage medium such as a memory card readable by the informationprocessing apparatus 1 in advance.

Here, an overview of the game application (hereinafter referred to as a“game of the present embodiment”) executed by the information processingapparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Thegame of the present embodiment may be, for example, an action roleplaying game, and a game medium may move on a field in the game.

The game medium may be electronic data used in the game and may includeany medium such as a card, an item, a character, an avatar, or anobject. Further, the game medium may be electronic data that can beretrieved, possessed, used, managed, exchanged, synthesized, enhanced,sold, discarded, and/or granted by the user in the game. For example,when the game medium is associated with an ID specific to the user, thegame medium may be retrieved, possessed, granted, or transferred to theuser in the game. A usage form of the game medium may not be limited tothose described in this specification.

The game of the present embodiment may roughly include the followingcontent. The user may make the game progress while operating the usercharacter and traversing the field in the game. Specifically, the usercharacter may move on the field in accordance with the user operation.In the field, for example, a town and a battle stage may be provided.For example, the user character may be able to talk with a residentcharacter of the town or fight a battle with an enemy characterencountered within a battle stage. In the field in the game, variousevents corresponding to areas occur. As the events are executed, a mainstory of the game may progress. Further, for example, when the usercharacter wins a battle with the enemy character, the game medium suchas an item, a virtual currency, or a character can be given to the user.The user character may be able to use the given game medium.

At the battle stage of the game of the present embodiment, a passagealong which the user character can move may be provided. Specifically, apassage extending in a horizontal direction of a screen may be provided.In the present embodiment, the user character may move within thepassage in a direction at a speed according to the user operation.Further, the passage may have a constant width in a vertical directionof the screen. The user character may be able to move within the passagenot only in the horizontal direction of the screen but also the verticaldirection.

Here, the user character may be able to jump in addition to the movementwithin the passage. The user character may be able to quickly move to aposition near the enemy character of an attack target by moving orjumping and avoid an attack from the enemy character. The informationprocessing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment appropriatelymay determine whether an input operation of the user may be a stepmovement instruction or a jump instruction and provides a game withexcellent operability, and the details thereof will be described later.Here, the vertical direction of the screen corresponds to apredetermined direction of an exemplary embodiment.

Here, components of the information processing apparatus 1 may now bedescribed. The information processing apparatus 1 may include anoperating unit 10, a storage unit 11, a display unit 12, and a controlunit 13.

The operating unit 10 may receive the input operation of the user andmay output input operation data in which the input operation may beassociated with coordinate information. As described above, theinformation processing apparatus 1 executes the game in which the usercharacter may move on the field in accordance with the user operation.The input operation of the user may be an operation by which the usermay cause the user character in the virtual space to move on the fieldand perform a desired operation and include an operation of instructinga behavior of the user character. In the information processingapparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the operating unit 10may be a touch panel which may be integrated with the display unit 12.For example, the information processing apparatus 1 may have aconfiguration in which a transparent sensor layer that serves as theoperating unit 10 and detects a change in capacitance may be stacked ona liquid crystal display (LCD) layer that serves as the display unit 12(a configuration in which the user views the LCD layer via the sensorlayer). The operating unit 10 may be able to detect a position touchedby the user by detecting a change in capacitance. The operating unit 10may employ a touch panel other than a capacitive type touch panel.

The user may instruct the behavior of the user character by touching theoperating unit 10 using a finger or a tool such as a stylus. In the gameof the present embodiment, the user may cause the user character to moveon the field (passage) through a swipe operation. The swipe operationmay be an operation in which the user touches the operating unit 10 witha finger and then may move the finger in a touched state. Further, theuser may cause the user character to perform the step movement or thejump through a flick operation. The flick operation may be an operationin which the user touches the operating unit 10 with a finger and thenseparates the finger from the operating unit 10 while quickly moving thefinger in a touched state. The flick operation may include a V flickoperation to be described later. Further, the step movement may be amovement of the user character which may be faster than a normalmovement of the user character. Further, the user may be able to attackthe enemy character through a tap operation. The tap operation may be anoperation in which the user touches the operating unit 10 with a fingerand then separating the finger without moving the finger. Here, when theinput operation such as the swipe operation, the flick operation, or thetap operation may be executed, a point at which the user brings a fingerinto contact with the operating unit 10 and starts the input operationmay be referred to a “start point.” Further, when the user terminatesthe input operation, a point at which the user separates the fingertouching the operating unit 10 may be referred to as an “end point.”

The operating unit 10 may associate the start point, the end point, andinput trajectories of the swipe operation and the flick operation withthe coordinate information in the touch panel. The start point, the endpoint, and the input trajectories associated with the coordinateinformation may be output to the storage unit 11 as the input operationdata. In the information processing apparatus 1 according to the presentexemplary embodiment, coordinates of an orthogonal coordinate system inwhich the horizontal direction of the screen of the display unit 12integrated with the operating unit 10 is set as an X axis, and thevertical direction is set as a Y axis may be used. The input operationdata also may include information of a period of time from the start ofthe input operation to the end.

The storage unit 11 may be, for example, a storage device and may storethe input operation data. Further, the storage unit 11 may store variouspieces of information and programs (game applications) which may benecessary for a process of the game. Further, the storage unit 11 maystore various images (texture images) for projecting (texture mapping)various objects arranged in a three-dimensional virtual space. Forexample, the storage unit 11 may store an image of the user character.Further, the storage unit 11 may store images such as buildings, walls,trees, and non-player characters (NPCs). Further, the storage unit 11may store an image of a background (background image) such as the sky ora distant view. Further, the storage unit 11 may store images of fields(field images) such as a town and a battle stage. In the presentexemplary embodiment, the storage unit 11 temporarily may store theinput operation data. The storage of data other than the input operationdata may be not temporary, and the data may be stored in the storageunit 11, for example, until the game may be uninstalled.

The display unit 12 may display the virtual space (virtual game space)in which the user character may be arranged. In the present exemplaryembodiment, the display unit 12 may be an LCD layer of the touch panel,but may not be limited thereto. For example, the display unit 12 may bea display device such as an organic EL display.

The control unit 13 may be a dedicated microprocessor or a CPU thatreads a specific program and implements a specific function. The controlunit 13 may control the operation of the information processingapparatus 1. For example, the control unit 13 may execute the gameapplication in accordance with the user operation performed on theoperating unit 10. Further, the control unit 13 may perform variousprocesses related to the game.

The control unit 13 may cause the virtual space including, for example,the field and the user character to be displayed on the display unit 12.Further, the control unit 13 may cause the user character to moverelatively to the field object such as the passage or perform an actionin the virtual space in accordance with the input operation of the user.Hereinafter, the screen of the game of the present embodiment may bedescribed, and then a technique of determining the input operation ofthe user through control unit 13 and movement control of the usercharacter according to the determined input operation may be described.

(Game Screen Example)

The virtual space displayed on the display unit 12 of the informationprocessing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment may bedescribed with reference to FIG. 2. The display unit 12 may have a firstdisplay region 121 and a second display region 120. The first displayregion 121 mainly may display a field including the user character andthe enemy character in the virtual space. The first display region 121may have a larger area than the second display region 120. The seconddisplay region 120 mainly may display a field including neither the usercharacter nor the enemy character in the virtual space. The seconddisplay region 120 may be mainly used as a region in which the operationof the user may be received. For example, the second display region 120may display a menu selection icon and a user level of a game setting.When the user may perform the input operation on the second displayregion 120, the user character who may perform a behavior in accordancewith the input operation may be displayed on the first display region121. It may be preferable to set the second display region 120 below thefirst display region 121 (a lower side of the screen in the verticaldirection). Since the user may perform the input operation in the seconddisplay region 120, it may be possible to prevent the user characterfrom being hidden by the operation of the user. Further, since theoperation region may be set below the lower side close to the user, thethumb reaches the operation region even when the operation may beperformed while holding the information processing apparatus 1 with onehand. Therefore, the user may be able to easily perform an operationeven with one hand. As described above, the display unit 12 constitutesthe touch panel in which the entire display unit 2 may be integratedwith the operating unit 10. Therefore, the user may be able to performthe input operation not only in the second display region 120 but alsoin the first display region 121. For example, when a plurality of enemycharacters may be displayed on the first display region 121, the usermay perform an attack by tapping one enemy character set as an attacktarget.

Here, a virtual XY plane generated by an X axis in the horizontaldirection of the screen and the Y axis in the vertical direction may beset in the display unit 12. The operating unit 10 integrated with thedisplay unit 12 may generate the input operation data by associatinginformation of coordinates of the XY plane with the input operation ofthe user. In the example of FIG. 2, in order to move the user character,the user may perform the swipe operation having a linear trajectory 124in a positive X-axis direction from a start point 122 to an end point123. At this time, the operating unit 10 may generate the inputoperation data by associating the start point 122 with coordinates (X0,Y0), associating the end point 123 with coordinates (X1, Y0), andassociating at least one intermediate point on the trajectory 124between the start point and the end point with coordinates (Xa, Y0). Theoperating unit 10 may output the input operation data to the storageunit 11. The storage unit 11 may store the input operation data. Then,the control unit 13 may retrieve the input operation data from thestorage unit 11, may determine content of the input operation of theuser from the coordinate information, and may calculate a change (anaction or a movement) in the user character on the virtual space on thebasis of the content of the input operation (using the coordinateinformation as well if necessary). Then, the virtual space after thechange of the user character may be displayed on the display unit 12. Inthe example of FIG. 2, the control unit 13 may determine that the inputoperation may be the swipe operation in the positive X-axis direction,and may cause the user character to move in the virtual space in thepositive X-axis direction in accordance with a distance (|X1−X0|)between the start point 122 and the end point 123 and displayed on thedisplay unit 12.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the virtual space of the game of thepresent embodiment may be a three-dimensional space. A virtual cameramay be arranged in the virtual space so that the user character may beprojected, and the virtual space viewed from the virtual camera may bedisplayed on the display unit 12. For the sake of description, an x axisin a left-right direction, a y axis in a vertical direction (from apoint of view of the virtual camera), and a z axis in a front-backdirection may be set in the virtual space. The x axis, the y axis, andthe z axis of the virtual space may be orthogonal to one other. In thegame of the present exemplary embodiment, a positional relation may beset such that the x axis and the y axis of the virtual space may beparallel to the X axis in the horizontal direction of the screen and theY axis in the vertical direction. The virtual camera may performprojection such that the user character may be looked down from apredetermined position (a constant height) in the y-axis direction.Further, the virtual camera may also project the passage along which theuser character may be able to move, surrounding objects (for example, atree and a building), and the enemy character. In the game of thepresent exemplary embodiment, the user character may move in the x-axisdirection as the scenario progresses, and the virtual camera also maymove in the x-axis direction within the virtual space in accordance withthe movement. In other words, the virtual camera may move in parallel tothe x axis while keeping a predetermined position in the y-axisdirection.

Here, in the game of the present embodiment, the user character may beable to move in the z-axis direction (front-back direction) in thevirtual space. FIG. 3A illustrates an aspect in which the user charactermay perform the step movement on the passage in the virtual space fromthe front side to the rear side (from the front side to the back side).The z-axis direction corresponds to a first direction of an exemplaryembodiment. Further, in the game of the present embodiment, the usercharacter may be able to jump in a negative y axis direction (upwards)in the virtual space. The user character who jumps does not move in thez-axis direction. FIG. 3B illustrates an aspect in which the usercharacter jumps. The y-axis direction corresponds to a second direction.Here, a video of the virtual camera overlooking the user character maybe displayed on the display unit 12 (see the first display region 121 inFIGS. 3A and 3B). Therefore, both the backward step movement and thejump of the user character may be viewed to the user as the movement ofthe user character mainly in the Y direction (vertical direction) of thescreen.

In order to provide an intuitive operation according to a way in whichthe user sees, it may be preferable to associate both of the backwardstep movement and the jump of the user character with an operation ofmoving, for example, a finger upwards in the second display region 120.However, if two different operations may be allocated to one operationinput in the virtual space, the user may be unable to perform anintended operation, and the operability may be likely to be lowered. Ifthe second display region 120 may be divided into smaller regions, andoperations may be allocated to the smaller regions as in the technologydisclosed in JP-A-2007-130367, there may be a confusion betweenoperations. The game of the present embodiment may include a battle withthe enemy character. In the battle, an attack notice range of the enemycharacter (a damaged range) may be displayed. For example, the attacknotice range may have a predetermined width in the z-axis direction. Itmay be important for the user to cause the user character to perform thebackward step movement from the front side in order to escape from theattack notice range. However, if there is a confusion in an action, andthe user character performs an unintentional jump, the user charactermay not move in the z-axis direction and may be unable to escape fromthe attack notice range. If this happens, the user may have animpression that the operability is poor, and the user may be likely tolose interest in the game. In this regard, the information processingapparatus 1 according to the present embodiment provides an interface inwhich respective actions may be associated with two input operations tobe described later, and a confusion in an action may be preventedwithout lowering the operability.

(V Flick Operation)

FIG. 4A may show a diagram for describing the operation inputcorresponding to the backward step movement of the user character fromthe front side in the virtual space. When the user may perform the flickoperation from a start point 122 to an end point 123 which may be in thenegative Y-axis direction further than the start point 122 asillustrated in a second display region 120 of FIG. 4A, the usercharacter may move the backward step movement from the front side. Inthe game of the present embodiment, for example, it may be possible tocause the user character to perform the step movement through the flickoperation whose contact period of time on the touch panel may be shorterthan the swipe operation. Therefore, it may be possible to implementexcellent operability particularly in a battle stage in which rapidmovement is necessary to avoid an attack from an enemy. It may bepossible to adjust a distance of the step movement of the user characterin the virtual space in accordance with a distance between the startpoint 122 and the end point 123 in the flick operation. The firstdisplay region 121 of FIG. 4A may be the same as the first displayregion 121 in FIG. 3A, and thus description thereof may be omitted.Further, in the second display region 120, when the user may perform theflick operation from the start point 122 to the end point 123 which maybe in the positive Y-axis direction further than the start point 122,the user character may move the step movement in the opposite direction(forward direction).

FIG. 4B may show a diagram for describing an operation inputcorresponding to the jump of the user character in the virtual space.When the user performs the flick operation from a start point 122 to anend point 123 which may be in the negative Y-axis direction further thanthe start point 122 via an intermediate point 134 which may be in thepositive Y-axis direction further than the start point 122 asillustrated in a second display region 120 of FIG. 4B, the usercharacter may jump. Here, the operation input illustrated in FIG. 4B mayalso be a sort of the flick operation, but since the intermediate point134 may be included, the trajectory may have a letter “V” shape. In thisregard, in order to distinguish the flick operation from the normalflick operation illustrated in FIG. 4A, the flick operation of FIG. 4Bmay be referred to as a “V flick operation” in this specification. Inthe game of the present embodiment, it may also be possible to cause theuser character to quickly jump in accordance with the V flick operationwhose contact period of time on the touch panel may be shorter than theswipe operation. Therefore, it may be possible to implement theexcellent operability particularly in the battle stage. The firstdisplay region 121 in FIG. 4B may be the same as the first displayregion 121 of FIG. 3B, and thus description thereof may be omitted. Amethod of adjusting a direction (moving direction) and a magnitude ofthe jump of the user character in virtual space which may be performedby the V flick operation may be described later.

(Determination of V Flick Operation)

FIGS. 5A and 5B may be diagrams for describing a method of determiningthe normal flick operation and the V flick operation through the controlunit 13. The control unit 13 may retrieve coordinates of the startpoint, the intermediate point, and the end point of the input operationof the user from the input operation data of the storage unit 11. Then,a distance between the start point and the end point, a distance betweenthe intermediate point and the endpoint, and a distance between theintermediate point and the start point in a predetermined direction(projection distances in a predetermined direction) may be calculatedand compared. Here, in the game of the present embodiment, thepredetermined direction may be a direction in which the user charactermay move on the screen through the jump or the step movement, which maybe the Y-axis direction. Further, the V flick operation corresponds to asecond input operation of an exemplary embodiment. Further, the normalflick operation other than the V flick operation corresponds to a firstinput operation of an exemplary embodiment.

In the example of FIG. 5A, the control unit 13 may be assumed toretrieve coordinates (X0, Y0) of the start point 122, the coordinates(X1, Y1) of the end point 123, and coordinates (Xa, Ya) of theintermediate point 134. The control unit 13 calculates a distance L0(|Y1−Y0|) in the Y-axis direction between the start point 122 and theend point 123, a distance L1 (|Y1−Ya|) in the Y-axis direction betweenthe intermediate point 134 and the end point 123, and a distance L2(|Ya−Y0|) in the Y-axis direction between the intermediate point 134 andthe start point 122. When the distance L1 or the distance L2 is largerthan the distance L0, the control unit 13 may determine that the flickoperation performed by the user may be the V flick operation.Conversely, when a condition that “the distance L1 or the distance L2 islarger than the distance L0” is not satisfied, the control unit 13 maydetermine that the flick operation performed by the user is the normalflick operation. In the example of FIG. 5A, since the distance L0 in theY-axis direction between the start point 122 and the end point 123 islargest, the condition “the distance L1 or the distance L2 is largerthan the distance L0” is not satisfied. Therefore, in the example ofFIG. 5A, the control unit 13 may determine that the flick operationperformed by the user is the normal flick operation.

Here, when there may be a plurality of intermediate points, the controlunit 13 calculates the distance L1 and the distance L2 for each of theintermediate points. When the distance L1 or the distance L2 is largerthan the distance L0 for at least one intermediate point, the controlunit 13 may determine that the flick operation performed by the user isthe V flick operation. Then, when the flick operation is determined tobe the V flick operation, the control unit 13 may set one intermediatepoint whose distance L1 to the end point 123 in a predetermineddirection (the Y-axis direction) is largest as a specific intermediatepoint. The specific intermediate point may be an intermediate pointwhose distance L2 the start point 122 in the Y-axis direction may belargest.

In the example of FIG. 5B, the control unit 13 may be assumed toretrieve coordinates (X0, Y0) of a start point 122, coordinates (X1, Y1)of an endpoint 123, and coordinates (Xb, Yb) of an intermediate point134A. The control unit 13 may calculate a distance L0 (|Y1−Y0|) in theY-axis direction between the start point 122 and the end point 123, adistance L1 (|Y1−Yb|) in the Y-axis direction between the intermediatepoint 134A and the end point 123, and a distance L2 (|Yb−Y0|) in theY-axis direction between the intermediate point 134A and the start point122. In the example of FIG. 5B, the distance L1 in the Y-axis directionbetween the intermediate point 134A and the end point 123 may be largerthan the distance L0 in the Y-axis direction between the start point 122and the end point 123. Since the condition that “the distance L1 or thedistance L2 is larger than the distance L0” is satisfied, the controlunit 13 may determine that the flick operation performed by the user isthe V flick operation. The control unit 13 may cause the user characterto jump in the virtual space.

In the example of FIG. 5B, the trajectory from the start point 122 tothe end point 123 may have a local maximum value in the Y axis positivedirection at the intermediate point 134A. In other words, theintermediate point 134A may be the specific intermediate point whosedistance L1 from the end point 123 in the Y-axis direction may belargest in the trajectory from the start point 122 to the end point 123.The control unit 13 may adjust the direction (moving direction) and themagnitude of the jump of the user character in the virtual space on thebasis of a relation between the specific intermediate point (theintermediate point 134A in the example of FIG. 5B) and the end point123. Here, in the game of the present embodiment, the height (adisplacement amount in the Y-axis direction) by which the user characterjumps may be constant. Therefore, when the magnitude of the jumpchanges, the movement amount of the user character who may have jumpedin the X-axis direction (the direction orthogonal to the Y-axisdirection which may be the predetermined direction) changes. First, thecontrol unit 13 may set a direction from the intermediate point 134Aserving as the specific intermediate point to the end point 123 as thedirection of the jump of the user character. For example, when the endpoint 123 may be on a rightward diagonal line extending from theintermediate point 134A with an angle of 60° in the X-axis direction,the control unit 13 may cause the user character to jump in the virtualspace so that the user character jumps in a rightward diagonal directionwith an angle of 60° in the X-axis direction in the screen of thedisplay unit 12. Further, the control unit 13 may adjust the magnitudefor moving the user character in accordance with the distance from theintermediate point 134A serving as the specific intermediate point tothe end point 123. Therefore, as the distance between the intermediatepoint 134A and the end point 123 increases, the control unit 13 mayincrease the magnitude of the jump of the user character. The user maybe able to easily adjust the direction and the magnitude of the jump byadjusting the positional relation between the intermediate point 134Aserving as the specific intermediate point and end point 123 whencausing the user character to jump through the V flick operation. The Vflick operation may be handled as if it were the normal flick operationif the specific intermediate point is considered to be a new startpoint. Therefore, the user may be able to cause the user character tojump through an intuitive operation. Further, as described above, thecontrol unit 13 may determine the normal flick operation and the V flickoperation from a result of comparing the distance L0, the distance L1,and the distance L2 with one another. Therefore, the burden on theoperation process may be small as well, and the control unit 13 may beable to quickly perform the determination process. Therefore, it may beparticularly suitable for action games such as the game of the presentembodiment in which a quick reaction of the user character according tothe input operation of the user may be required.

(Flowchart)

FIG. 6 may show a flowchart illustrating a control method fordetermining the normal flick operation and the V flick operation. Thecontrol unit 13 may retrieve the input operation data from the storageunit 11 (step S1).

The control unit 13 may retrieve a period of time from the start of theinput operation to the end from the input operation data and maydetermine whether or not the acquired period of time exceeds apredetermined period of time (step S2). The predetermined period of timemay be, for example, one second. When the period of time from the startof the input operation to the end exceeds the predetermined period oftime, that is, when the input operation is continued even after thepredetermined period of time, the control unit 13 may determine that theinput operation is not the flick operation (for example, when it is theswipe operation), and may end the present determination process (Yes instep S2). When the period of time from the start of the input operationto the end does not exceed the predetermined period of time, the controlunit 13 may determine that the input operation is the flick operationand may cause the process to proceed to step S3 (No in step S2).

The control unit 13 may calculate the distance L0 in the Y-axisdirection between the start point and the end point, the distance L1 inthe Y-axis direction between the intermediate point and the end point,and the distance L2 in the Y-axis direction between the intermediatepoint and the start point from the input operation data. Then, thecontrol unit 13 may determine whether or not a condition of “thedistance L1 or the distance L2 is larger than the distance L0” issatisfied (step S3). When the condition is satisfied, the control unit13 may determine that the input operation is the V flick operation andmay cause the process to proceed to step S4 (Yes in step S3). When thecondition is not satisfied, the control unit 13 may determine that theinput operation is the normal flick operation and may cause the processto proceed to step S6 (No in step S3).

When the input operation is determined to be the V flick operation, thecontrol unit 13 detects the specific intermediate point whose distanceL1 to the end point in the Y-axis direction is largest among theintermediate points. Then, the control unit 13 may determine whether ornot a direction from the specific intermediate point to the endpoint isa predetermined direction (step S4). In the game of the presentembodiment, the predetermined direction may be a direction in which theuser character is able to jump. Specifically, the predetermineddirection may be the “negative Y-axis direction” (an upward direction ona plane of paper in the vertical direction in the example of the displayunit 12 in FIG. 2). When a Y axis component of the direction from thespecific intermediate point to the end point is a negative direction,the control unit 13 may cause the process to proceed to step S5 (Yes instep S4). When the Y axis component of the direction from the specificintermediate point to the endpoint is not a negative direction, thecontrol unit 13 may end the present determination process (No in stepS4) because it may be hard to jump the user character.

When it is determined that the input operation is the V flick operation,and that the user character may be able to jump, the control unit 13 mayexecute second movement control in accordance with the direction and thedistance of the specific intermediate point and the end point (Step S5),and the present determination process may end. Here, the second movementcontrol may be used to cause the user character to jump in the virtualspace. Step S5 corresponds to a second movement step of an exemplaryembodiment.

When the input operation may be determined to be the normal flickoperation, the control unit 13 may execute first movement control (stepS6) and may end the present determination process. Here, the firstmovement control may be a control to cause the user character to performthe step movement in the virtual space. Step S6 corresponds to a firstmovement step of an exemplary embodiment.

Here, if the input operation is determined not to be the flick operation(for example, when it is the swipe operation), and the presentdetermination process may end, the control unit 13 continues to performa process of moving the user character on the passage (see FIG. 2).

As described above, the information processing apparatus 1 according tothe present embodiment provides the user interface capable of preventinga confusion of two actions including movement of the user character in apredetermined direction (for example, the Y-axis direction) (forexample, the backward step movement and the jump), and thus the gameoperability can be improved.

Here, in the game of the present embodiment, the normal flick operationand the V flick operation may be allocated to the two actions includingthe movement in the Y-axis direction on the screen (for example, thebackward step movement and the jump). In other words, in the game of thepresent embodiment, when the moving direction of the user character isalmost the same on the game screen seen by the user, but there areactions whose types may be different in the three-dimensional virtualgame space, one operation may be allocated to the input operation (the Vflick operation) different from the normal flick operation. On the otherhand, a game in which different input operations may be allocated to aplurality of actions such as a close range attack, a magic attack, and adistant attack to the enemy character and a behavior of avoiding anattack from the enemy character may be known. However, such a game mayrequire the user to memorize the individual input operations andcorresponding behaviors of the user character. Further, when the userdoes not accurately understand a correspondence relation, the behaviorof the user character becomes an unintended behavior. In the game of thepresent embodiment, the V flick operation may be allocated to one of twoactions which may be the same in the moving direction of the usercharacter on the screen, and thus it may be unnecessary to performmemorization of a plurality of input operations which may be burdensometo the user. Further, the V flick operation may give the user the sameoperation feeling as the normal flick operation if the specificintermediate point may be considered to be a new start point. Therefore,the user may be able to perform the intuitive operation in the game ofthe present exemplary embodiment.

It should be noted that an exemplary embodiment has been described withreference to the drawings and the embodiment, but those skilled in theart may be able to easily make various modifications or revisions on thebasis of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted thatthese modification or revisions fall within the scope of the invention.For example, the functions included in the respective means or steps maybe rearranged so long as the rearrangement is logically consistent, anda plurality of means or steps may be combined into one or divided.

For example, in the embodiment, the normal flick operation and the Vflick operation may be associated with the step movement and the jump ofthe user character, but they may be associated in an opposite manner.Further, the user may be able to select actions of the user character tobe associated with the flick operation and the V flick operation througha game setting screen.

Further, for example, in the V flick operation of the embodiment, theinput having the trajectory having the local maximum value in thepositive Y-axis direction in the intermediate point may be used, butinstead of or in conjunction with this, an input having a trajectoryhaving a local maximum value in the negative Y-axis direction in theintermediate point may be used. At this time, for example, the usercharacter may crouch in response to the V flick operation of the inputhaving the trajectory having the local maximum value in the negativeY-axis direction.

Further, for example, in the V flick operation of the embodiment, thepredetermined direction may be the Y axis or may alternatively be the Xaxis. In such an exemplary embodiment, for example, the game may be arace game, and when the user character moves in the positive z-axisdirection in the virtual space and then moves in the x-axis direction, acourse may be changed. In this case, in the case of the input having thetrajectory having the local maximal value in the positive X-axisdirection or the negative X-axis direction in the intermediate point, itmay be determined to be the V flick operation. For example, the normalflick operation may be associated with a course change of the usercharacter in the left or right direction, and the V flick operation maybe associated with an attack (interference) to the enemy characterrunning on the left or right sides of the user character.

Further, for example, in the game of the embodiment, the user charactermay be able to perform the step movement in the z-axis direction in thevirtual space steplessly, but the step movement may be movement to anadjacent lane. In other words, the game of the embodiment may be a gamein which the passage may be configured with a plurality of lanesextending in the x-axis direction in the virtual space, and the usercharacter may move on any one lane.

Further, for example, in the embodiment, the control unit 13 maycalculate so as to compare respective lengths of the distance L0, thedistance L1, and the distance L2. However, in the process of determiningthe normal flick operation and the V flick operation, the distances maynot be calculated, and values of coordinates of the start point and theend point in the predetermined direction (Y axis) may be compared withvalues of coordinates of the intermediate point in the predetermineddirection (Y axis). Referring back to FIG. 5B, when the start point 122and the end point 123 may be located in the same direction in the Y axis(the negative direction in the example of FIG. 5B) with respect to theintermediate point 134A, and the intermediate point 134A may bedifferent from the start point 122 and the end point 123, it can bedetermined to be the V flick operation. For example, control unit 13 maybe assumed to retrieve coordinates (X0, Y0) of the start point,coordinates (X1, Y1) of the end point, and coordinates (Xa, Ya) of theintermediate point. The coordinates of the intermediate point may bedifferent from the coordinates of the start point and the coordinates ofthe endpoint. At this time, when the value Ya of the Y coordinate of theintermediate point is smaller than the value Y0 of the Y coordinate ofthe start point and the value Y1 of the Y coordinate of the end point,the control unit 13 may determine it to be the V flick operation. Atthis time, the control unit 13 may be able to perform fasterdetermination since the computation load of the determination processmay be reduced.

Further, for example, in the embodiment, the display unit 12 may includethe first display region 121 and the second display region 120, but thedisplay unit 12 may not be divided into two display regions.

For example, in the embodiment, the entire display unit 12 may beintegrated with the operating unit 10 to constitute the touch panel.However, only a part of the display unit 12 (for example, the seconddisplay region 120) may be integrated with the operating unit 10 toconstitute the touch panel.

Further, for example, in the embodiment, the operating unit 10 may be atouch panel, and may generate the input operation data using thecoordinate system defined on the touch panel. However, the operatingunit 10 may generate the input operation data from an operation of avirtual pad (for example, a virtual cross key) displayed on the touchpanel. In other words, when the finger of the user touches the virtualpad, it may be defined as the start point, and when the finger of theuser may be separated from the virtual pad, it may be defined as the endpoint, and the coordinate change or the intermediate point may bespecified from a touched direction key during the time. Further, theoperating unit 10 may be a controller having a physical cross key, ajoystick, or the like.

Further, for example, in the game of the embodiment, the height at whichthe user character jumps (the displacement amount in the Y-axisdirection) may be constant. Therefore, the moving distance of the usercharacter who has jumped in the X-axis direction may be adjusted inaccordance with the distance from the specific intermediate point of theV flick operation to the end point. However, the jumping height may beadjusted instead of the moving distance of the user character in theX-axis direction or together with the moving distance in the X-axisdirection in accordance with the V flick operation.

In an exemplary embodiment, some of the various game screens may bedisplayed as a web display in which they may be displayed on theinformation processing apparatus 1 on the basis of data generated by aserver apparatus capable of performing communication with theinformation processing apparatus 1, and some game screens (for example,a region in which a menu button may be arranged) may be displayed as anative display in which they may be displayed by a native applicationinstalled in the information processing apparatus 1. As described above,the game according to the embodiment may be a hybrid game in which eachof the information processing apparatus 1 and the server apparatusundertakes some processes.

Further, an apparatus capable of executing information processing suchas a computer or a mobile phone may be appropriately used to function asthe information processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment.These apparatuses can be implemented by storing a program describingprocessing content for implementing the functions of the informationprocessing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment in the storage unitof the apparatus and reading and executing the program by a CPU of theapparatus.

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program code that, when executed, causes an information processing apparatus including: a display unit configured to display a virtual space; an operating unit configured to receive an input operation of a user and configured to output input operation data in which the input operation of the user is associated with coordinate information; and a storage unit configured to store the input operation data, and configured to execute a game including a character which is arranged in the virtual space and moved in accordance with the input operation; to execute the following steps: a step of retrieving the input operation data from the storage unit; a step of determining, after an end point of the input operation is defined by the user, said end point terminating the input operation, whether the input operation is a first input operation or a second input operation, wherein the input operation is determined to be the second input operation when a distance in a predetermined input direction from an intermediate point, the intermediate point located between a start point at which the input operation starts and an end point at which the input operation ends, to at least one of the start point or the end point is larger than a distance in the predetermined input direction from the start point to the end point; a first movement step of, after the step of determining whether the input operation is the first input operation or the second input operation, performing first movement control including moving the character in a first predetermined direction when the input operation is determined to be a first input operation; and a second movement step of, after the step of determining whether the input operation is the first input operation or the second input operation, performing second movement control which is different from the first movement control and includes moving the character in a second predetermined direction when the input operation is determined to be a second input operation different from the first input operation; wherein no movement of the character is initiated between the start point of the input operation being defined by the user and the end point of the input operation being defined by the user.
 2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein, when a period of time from a start of the input operation and an end of the input operation exceeds a predetermined period of time, the first movement step and the second movement step are not executed.
 3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein, in the second movement step, one intermediate point whose distance from the end point in the predetermined input direction is largest on a trajectory from the start point to the end point is set as a specific intermediate point, and a direction from the specific intermediate point to the end point is set as a direction in which the character moves.
 4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 2, wherein, in the second movement step, one intermediate point whose distance from the end point in the predetermined input direction is largest on a trajectory from the start point to the end point is set as a specific intermediate point, and a direction from the specific intermediate point to the end point is set as a direction in which the character moves.
 5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 3, wherein, in the second movement step, a magnitude by which the character may be moved is adjusted in accordance with a distance from the specific intermediate point to the end point.
 6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 5, wherein the adjustment of the magnitude comprises adjustment of a movement amount of the character in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined input direction.
 7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 3, wherein, when the direction from the specific intermediate point to the end point is not the predetermined direction, the second movement step is not executed.
 8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 5, wherein, when the direction from the specific intermediate point to the end point is not the predetermined direction, the second movement step is not executed.
 9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6, wherein, when the direction from the specific intermediate point to the end point is not the predetermined direction, the second movement step is not executed.
 10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the first movement control corresponds to a step movement of the character in a first direction in the virtual space, and the second movement control corresponds to a jump of the character in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the virtual space.
 11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 2, wherein the first movement control corresponds to a step movement of the character in a first direction in the virtual space, and the second movement control corresponds to a jump of the character in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the virtual space.
 12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 3, wherein the first movement control corresponds to a step movement of the character in a first direction in the virtual space, and the second movement control corresponds to a jump of the character in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the virtual space.
 13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 5, wherein the first movement control corresponds to a step movement of the character in a first direction in the virtual space, and the second movement control corresponds to a jump of the character in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the virtual space.
 14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6, wherein the first movement control corresponds to a step movement of the character in a first direction in the virtual space, and the second movement control corresponds to a jump of the character in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the virtual space.
 15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the first movement control corresponds to a step movement of the character in a first direction in the virtual space, and the second movement control corresponds to a jump of the character in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the virtual space.
 16. A method of controlling a game which is executed by an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising: a display unit configured to display a virtual space; an operating unit configured to receive an input operation of a user and configured to output input operation data in which the input operation of the user is associated with coordinate information; and a storage unit configured to store the input operation data, the game including a character being arranged in the virtual space and moved in accordance with the input operation; the method comprising: a step of retrieving the input operation data from the storage unit; a step of determining, after an end point of the input operation is defined by the user, said end point terminating the input operation, whether the input operation is a first input operation or a second input operation, wherein the input operation is determined to be the second input operation when a distance in a predetermined input direction from an intermediate point, the intermediate point located between a start point at which the input operation starts and an end point at which the input operation ends, to at least one of the start point or the end point is larger than a distance in the predetermined input direction from the start point to the end point; a step of, after the step of determining whether the input operation is the first input operation or the second input operation, performing first movement control including moving the character in a predetermined direction when the input operation is determined to be a first input operation; and a step of, after the step of determining whether the input operation is the first input operation or the second input operation, performing second movement control which is different from the first movement control and includes moving the character in the predetermined direction when the input operation is determined to be a second input operation different from the first input operation; wherein no movement of the character is initiated between the start point of the input operation being defined by the user and the end point of the input operation being defined by the user.
 17. An information processing apparatus that executes a game including a character which is arranged in the virtual space and moved in accordance with an input operation of a user, comprising: a display unit configured to display the virtual space; an operating unit configured to receive the input operation and configured to output input operation data in which the input operation of the user is associated with coordinate information; a storage unit configured to store the input operation data; and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to perform the steps of: retrieving the input operation data from the storage unit, determining, after an end point of the input operation is defined by the user, said end point terminating the input operation, whether the input operation is a first input operation or a second input operation, wherein the input operation is determined to be the second input operation when a distance in a predetermined input direction from an intermediate point, the intermediate point located between a start point at which the input operation starts and an end point at which the input operation ends, to at least one of the start point or the end point is larger than a distance in the predetermined input direction from the start point to the end point; after the step of determining whether the input operation is the first input operation or the second input operation, performing first movement control including moving the character in a predetermined direction when the input operation is determined to be a first input operation, after the step of determining whether the input operation is the first input operation or the second input operation, performing second movement control which is different from the first movement control and includes moving the character in the predetermined direction when the input operation is determined to be a second input operation different from the first input operation; wherein no movement of the character is initiated between the start point of the input operation being defined by the user and the end point of the input operation being defined by the user. 